This recipe comes from my Aunt Lynda. It is very flavourful and is a perfect for those warm, summer evenings, because it requires very little heat in the kitchen. Most everything is cooked on the grill. The recipe calls to marinate the chicken for 12-24 hours, but because of scheduling conflicts, mine marinated in the fridge for 2 days, and then in the freezer for 2 days, and then another day in the fridge, defrosting. I was extremely worried that it would be too strong of a flavour, having marinated for so long, which is why I paired it with quinoa and zucchini. In the end, it was not too overpowering, but offered a bright, tangy flavour that was complemented perfectly by the veggie medley. Lemon Ginger Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of any fat
4 Tbsp [about 3 lemons] lemon zest (organic is best when using the zest)
2/3 c. lemon juice, fresh squeezed [about 4 lemons]
4 tsp ginger, peeled & minced [I grated mine]
4 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp oil [I use grapeseed oil]
2 tsp salt
a pinch or two of dried chili pepper flakes, or bottled hot sauce [depending on preference]
* Marinate 12-24 hours, grill and enjoy!
Grilled Vegetable and Quinoa Medley:oil/ balsamic vinegar/ salt/ pepper
3-4 zucchini, washed, ends capped, sliced long-ways in half
Mixed peppers, whole [I used mini bell peppers, which are perfect for grilling]
1 sweet onion, peeled and ends capped, but whole
1-2 stalks green onion, chopped
fresh basil, chopped
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
* Bring broth to boil in medium saucepan, add quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with fork, re-cover and let stand for 5-7 minutes more (or until your veggies are ready). Meanwhile, place zucchini and onion in a large bowl, and drizzle with oil and vinegar, salt and pepper-- mix to coat well. Place zucchini, onion, and peppers on grill when chicken is about a third of the way cooked. Rotate a few times during cooking time. You should get some good grill marks on all the veggies, and they should be tender-crisp (although you should let the onion get really soft). Remove from grill, and cut into bite-sized pieces (cutting the top/ seeds off the peppers). In a large bowl, mix with quinoa, add green onion and basil, salt & pepper to taste. Mix well.
